Normally, Reyna wouldn't entertain the idea of playing the door greeter. Today was an exception though. It was mostly because Lupa asked nicely and even offered her a nice big glass of her favorite afternoon beverage: black rum. And of course, Reyna drank it right away. It calmed her down enough that she wasn't a bundle of nerves about seeing her sister again after their argument. Plus, there was having Hylla meet everyone.
Reyna just wanted it to go smoothly. She was so worried about how everyone would get along. What if they didn't? A nervous breath escaped Reyna as her eyes moved towards the dining room table. There seemed to be triple the number of plates this time, with more people than ever to fill the table. Reyna kept counting the plates on the table, but it wasn't matching the guest list she had in her head. Who was she missing?
Nico had already arrived and just walked in without being prompted. Reyna had tried to lecture him, and he bribed her with a beer and told her to shut up. So, Reyna was feeling more relaxed now and maybe a little bit tipsy.
At the moment, Nico and Lupa were finishing up the preparations for dinner. Well, they were setting all of the food that Lupa ordered onto plates. It was from her favorite catering company that made everything the morning before and even delivered it. Reyna knew it cost a decent amount of money, but she knew Lupa always wanted to spoil them like they were her own kids.
Reyna was helping Lupa set out the wine bottles when there was a gentle knock at the front door. She set down her share of the bottles and walked towards the door and opened it. A smile came to her face as she saw Will. The team doctor returned the smile.
"Come on in," Reyna said. She turned to motion for Will to walk inside and almost jumped as Nico appeared next to her. Will stepped into the house and closed the door behind him. Reyna slowly looked in between the two.
"I can show you around," Nico offered. Will smiled at him, and Reyna could have sworn that Nico blushed. As she went to comment, Nico turned and led Will away. Before Reyna could think about stepping away, there was another knock.
Reyna turned back towards the door and opened it. She wasn't quite sure how to feel as she saw Hylla and Kinzie. Both of them were wearing dress pants and dress shirts. Reyna took the safe approach, "Hey."
"Hey," Hylla greeted, and she pulled Reyna into a tight hug. Reyna hesitantly hugged her sister back and then pulled away. It seemed like they were just going to ignore the argument and pretend it never happened. Reyna could play along with that. A thumb ran across her nose, causing her to wince. "Still hurt?"
"Just a little," Reyna replied in a hushed tone. She looked at Kinzie, unsure whether to wear a smile or not. "How are you doing, Kinzie?"
"I'm good," Kinzie answered. It looked like she wanted to say more. Instead, she seemed to swallow back the words and smiled. "You dress up well."
"I try," Reyna said with a small shrug. Thanks to a lost bet with Nico, she was wearing a suit that matched his. They had all been one screen cheating match away from Nico having to wear a dress, but he decided to cheat by knocking her controller out of her hand. Reyna turned her head to look back at her roommate. They hadn't talked much since picking Hazel and Frank up at the airport.
"Come on in," Reyna said after a moment. She looked at her sister and tried to smile, but it felt more like a snarl. Reyna pushed herself away from the door and led the two of them inside. They walked past the large living room and into the larger dining room. An elbow nudged her.
"Here," Hylla said. Reyna turned and was given two bottles of black rum. She smirked at the kind gift from her sister and turned to set them down on the table. She then saw Lupa coming back into the dining room carrying an arm full of wine glasses. Once Lupa set them down by their respective plates, she walked towards the two new guests. She held her hand out to greet Hylla.
"You must be Hylla. It's nice to meet you," Lupa said. Hylla shook her hand and smiled tightly.
"It's nice to meet you, too. Reyna has said a lot of good things about you," Hylla greeted kindly. Reyna didn't realize how nervous she had been for the two of them to meet, and her people skills weren't good enough to tell if it was going well. "This is my girlfriend, Kinzie."
"It's a pleasure," Kinzie said with a bright smile. She shook Lupa's hand and seemed to be studying their host. Lupa smiled warmly at both of them.
"Feel free to sit down and drink some wine, or explore the house. The dogs are in the backyard, so they won't bother you," Lupa informed. Reyna heard another knock and squeezed Hylla's shoulder. She walked towards the front door.
Reyna opened the door and found herself face to face with Frank and Hazel. It was the lady in the middle that surprised her. Reyna cleared her throat and spoke, "Ms. Zhang. It's a pleasure."
"Oh, please. Call me grandma," Ms. Zhang corrected. Reyna smiled and led the three inside. Hazel had a smile on her face but still looked sad. Reyna took the time to gently squeeze the girl's shoulder. Most of her wanted to fly down to Hazel's family and give them a piece of her mind. Instead, she had the apartment to herself as Nico spent most of his time with Hazel.
Reyna led the three into the dining room and towards the table. Her heart jumped into her throat as she saw Hylla and Lupa were in some kind of conversation. There was a grin on Hylla's face. Upon seeing them, the small smile on Lupa's face widened.
"It's a pleasure to have you here," Lupa greeted, bowing her head towards Grandma Zhang. "Let me get you a seat."
As Lupa helped Grandma Zhang sit down, Reyna looked in between her sister and her teammates. Then, she realized she should probably introduce them.
"Hazel, Frank, this is my sister Hylla and her girlfriend, Kinzie," Reyna introduced her two families.
"It's nice to meet you," Frank greeted kindly as he held out his hand. Hylla shook his hand, hopefully sharing in the mutual feeling. Hazel stared up at Hylla, and an evil grin twisted her face.
"Do you have any baby pictures of Reyna?" Hazel asked, her evil grin sharpening her playful question.
"No," Reyna rejected hastily. Before she could protest anymore, there was another knock on the door. "No baby pictures. I will kill all three of you."
Reyna stepped away and hurried towards the door. She opened it and saw Percy and Annabeth. Reyna lost herself, staring at Annabeth's stormy gray eyes and the matching dress that Annabeth was wearing. It hugged all of her curves, and Reyna felt the alcohol churning in her stomach like butterflies.
"Welcome," Reyna finally greeted after a moment. She stepped to the side. "I think that makes everyone."
Annabeth and Percy walked into the house. Reyna closed the door and leaned on it, chastising herself for staring at Annabeth's perfect body. Percy looked over at her and spoke, "Congrats on the win. How is Frank handling the loss?"
"He's doing his best," Reyna answered with a shrug. She tried to keep her eyes focused on Percy, but they kept drifting towards Annabeth. That decided it. Reyna needed to lay off the alcohol. "Let me show you to the dining room."
Reyna guided them into the dining room and saw that everyone had started taking their seats. Hylla was helping Nico carry food to the table, but by Reyna's count, there were still three seats that wouldn't be filled. Before Reyna could question it, she heard another knock.
Reyna turned back towards the door and hurried to it. She opened the door and looked at the person on her right. Her gaze focused on Jason, and she gave him a slight nod. Jason smiled slightly, but there was also a weary look in his eyes. Piper was leaning on Jason and wore a smile on her face. Reyna looked at the last person, and her heart somehow jumped to her throat and dropped to her stomach at the same time.
"Thalia," Reyna exhaled. She stared at her ex-girlfriend and couldn't find the words. Thalia was wearing a suit that fit her body incredibly well, and there was a small smile on her face. Thalia's choppy black hair was wet and pressed against her forehead.
"Long time no see, Reyna," Thalia greeted, and she pulled Reyna into a hug. Reyna froze for a second before her brain finally rebooted itself, and she hugged Thalia back. A whisper greeted her ear. "Too long."
Thalia pulled away after a second and pushed her way inside, with her shoulder brushing against Reyna. All Reyna could do was stand there. Her brain wasn't rebooting this time, and she just stared at her. Jason cleared his throat and spoke, "We're not late, are we?"
"No," Reyna muttered after a moment. It took her a few more to look at Jason. "Come on in."
Reyna led them inside and towards the dining room. She didn't hear anything that Jason said as she watched Thalia walk up to Annabeth and hug her tightly. She then flicked Percy in the forehead before hugging Lupa.
After their breakup, Reyna and Thalia did their best to remain friends. They didn't really hang out alone, but they had gone out with the others a few times when the Wolves were celebrating victories. Reyna would be lying if she said that she didn't still think about Thalia.
Thalia wasn't just some fling. She was Reyna's first serious relationship, and she was the first person that Reyna had slept with. Well, she was the only person Reyna had slept well. There were a few days when she really did miss Thalia.
Reyna quickly walked into the kitchen and leaned on the counter. The other problem with Thalia being there was that Reyna turned into an absolute idiot around her. She didn't want to say anything to offend Thalia or remind her of their relationship, but it felt like everything she said would do that. Reyna usually just kept her mouth shut, which made the others think she was mad.
Reyna felt a hand on her shoulder and turned her head, hoping to see Nico. He would be able to slap her out of her thoughts. Instead, she found Hylla, along with slight disappointment. Her sister leaned on the counter next to her. Reyna looked away and stared at the ground, avoiding eye contact.
"You practically ran in here," Hylla commented. "You like that Jason guy?"
"I dated his sister," Reyna answered after a moment. She sighed and looked at her sister. "I kind of still have feelings for her."
"Why did you two break up?" Hylla asked. Reyna quickly looked away. "Young and dumb? Did she find someone else? She didn't cheat on you, did she?"
"No," Reyna answered quietly. She hung her head and thought about the reason they broke up. A big part of it was Reyna's inability to share her feelings. That wasn't the breaking point though. The breaking point was Thalia wanting to meet Reyna's family.
Reyna knew Jason well enough and had already met the extended part of Thalia's family. She let it slip that she had a sister, and Thalia wanted to meet Hylla. At that point, Reyna and Hylla weren't talking. Reyna tried to explain that to Thalia, but she just wouldn't understand.
Talking about it got them nowhere but frustrated. Thalia insulted Reyna, and the two got into a minor screaming match, which was the first time they had ever fought. Thalia then told her to get the hell out and kicked her out of the house, without a shirt or pants. Thalia had flung the pants at her but kept the shirt.
They broke up not long after, and Reyna never got her shirt back. She also didn't try to ask for it because that would mean having to go to Thalia's house and not mentally undress her while she did it. Reyna sighed and hung her head. She had drunk too much today, but somehow she also felt it wasn't enough.
"Just fell apart," Reyna finally lied. How could she tell Hylla that the topic of Hylla's existence was a big reason the relationship was destroyed? "You know how it goes."
"Yeah," Hylla said after a moment. She bumped Reyna's shoulder and grabbed a plate. "She is pretty hot."
"I know," Reyna muttered. Hylla grinned and left the kitchen. Reyna sighed and pushed herself off of the counter. She grabbed one of the last few plates and turned, almost running into someone.
"Oh, sorry," Thalia apologized awkwardly as she stepped to the side. Reyna felt her mind go blank, and her legs apparently forgot how to walk. "I saw the fight last week. Good job."
"You watched the fight?" Reyna asked after a moment. Thalia smirked and leaned on the counter.
"How else am I going to see you shirtless?" Thalia flirted. Reyna's cheeks burned, and she had to get out of the kitchen. She nodded to Thalia and walked back into the dining room. Reyna sat the plate of food down and went to grab a chair.
"Reyna, can you grab the tongs?" Lupa asked. "Thalia might have trouble finding them."
"Yeah. Uh, totally," Reyna tripped over her words. Her face started to burn up again as she walked back into the kitchen. Thalia was looking for the tongs. Reyna walked up behind her. "They're right here."
Reyna went to grab the tongs and accidentally brushed against Thalia's hand. She looked at Thalia and stared at that smirk on her face. Thalia spoke, "You're talking to your sister now?"
"Yeah," Reyna slowly answered. "Recently. I've been trying to open up more."
"That's good," Thalia complimented, and she turned around so she was fully facing Reyna. Only a few inches were separating them. "It's good that you and Hylla are reconnecting again."
Reyna nodded and felt one hand grab her belt. The other grabbed her tie, and she was pulled closer to Thalia. The other woman whispered alluringly in her ear, "I missed you."
"I missed you too," Reyna whispered after a moment. She looked at Thalia and tried to swallow painfully. Thalia smirked and kissed her. Reyna's eyes widened, and she slowly kissed Thalia back.
"Reyna."
Thalia tasted just like how Reyna remembered. She felt just how Reyna remembered, and Reyna's knees were going weak at the thought of what would happen after dinner.
"Reyna?"
They could actually make this relationship work. Reyna would still have to work on the whole opening up thing, but she could do it.
"Reyna!"
Reyna's attention snapped back to reality, and she focused on Thalia. Her ex watched her with a frown and a raised eyebrow, "You okay? You went quiet after I asked if you and Hylla reconnected."
"Uh. Yeah. Sorry," Reyna said quickly, trying to hide her blush. Thalia watched her, and the frown deepened. "I've just been trying to open up more."
Yeah. Reyna was going to excuse herself to the bathroom and drown herself in the sink. Anything was better than realizing that she had just daydreamed kissing Thalia with the very woman standing right in front of her. When Thalia smiled, Reyna's knees almost lost their strength to hold her.
"I'm glad," Thalia replied. "It's a good thing you stopped being so stubborn and actually listened to someone for once. Where are the tongs?"
Reyna wordlessly reached towards a cabinet and opened it. She grabbed the tongs and handed them to Thalia. Instead of letting go like a normal person so Thalia could grab them, Reyna tightened her grip and stared into Thalia's eyes.
"What are you doing after this?" Reyna asked.
"Going out with my girlfriend," Thalia answered. Reyna's grip released on the tongs, and she felt her shoulders and hope deflate. Thalia watched her silently for a few moments. Reyna swallowed painfully and looked down. Then, Thalia started laughing. "It's as much fun as it used to be."
"Asshole," Reyna decided. She tried to push away from Thalia, but a hand gently grabbed her arm.
"Hey, I'm just messing with you," Thalia swore. "I'm not doing anything after this unless Jason wants to. If you want to talk, I'm available."
"I'd like to talk," Reyna said, and she couldn't help the fact that her eyes trailed up and down Thalia's body. Thalia smirked and moved closer to her. She rested her lips to Reyna's ear.
"I'm surprised you know how to talk to anyone," Thalia teased. Reyna blushed again, and Thalia pulled away. She turned and left the kitchen. Reyna took a rest against the counter and tried to manage all of the feelings that tormented her chest. She let out a deep breath and walked back towards the table.
Reyna took her seat and found herself sitting across from Thalia. This dinner was going to be the death of her. She would either say something dumb and die from embarrassment or be so distracted by Thalia that she forgot how to chew her food and choked to death.
"Thank you all for coming," Lupa said to everyone at the table. "I won't bother anyone with a long speech, but I hope everyone enjoys their meal. Feel free to dig in."
Reyna watched Frank help his grandma get whatever she wanted on her plate. Grandma Zhang was in the middle of asking Hazel about her latest fight, and she stopped in the middle of every question to direct Frank.
Hylla, for some reason, was talking to Thalia and asking her about herself. When Hylla wasn't looking, Kinzie dumped a few vegetables onto her plate before getting into a conversation with Nico. Jason and Lupa seemed like they were catching up. Will and Percy were talking about something that Reyna couldn't make out.
Reyna eyed the wine bottle, but instead of grabbing another glass, she just filled her plate with more food than she could eat. As she grabbed her fork and knife, she felt a foot brush against hers. Reyna's eyes flickered up towards Thalia, who had a cocky grin on her face.
"What are you going to do about that horrible woman?" Grandma Zhang asked. Reyna's eyes zipped to the side of the table, and she almost jumped out of her seat as Thalia's foot brushed against her shin and slowly moved up her leg. "She has no respect."
"Clarisse is the worst," Hazel agreed.
"We're in the works for making a rematch," Reyna answered after a few moments. Her hand moved back to her still bandaged knuckles. She just wished the wall she punched had been Clarisse's face. "Lupa and Octavian are going to put a clause in the contract to keep Clarisse from trying to break one of my bones again.
"Clarisse is a piece of shit," Thalia commented. She looked at Grandma Zhang. "Oh, sorry."
"She is piece of shit," Grandma Zhang agreed. Frank almost choked on his food, and Hazel brought a hand to her mouth. A grin came to Thalia's face as Jason not so gently nudged her arm.
"You're corrupting Frank's grandma," Jason chastised. Thalia shrugged.
"Hey, Thalia. What do you do?" Hylla questioned. Reyna gave her sister a harsh glare, and she could have sworn Hylla was fighting a smile.
"I work with a charity group that helps women who face domestic abuse. We help them get away and find a new place to live and a job if they need it. Sometimes, we escort them to their house, so they can get their things without being intimidated," Thalia explained. "I was one of the founding members, so I bounce around from state to state to keep an eye on things and help everything run smoothly."
"That's really cool," Kinzie said. "Hylla and I are trying to start our own business."
Reyna glared down at the table and refused to look up. Thalia's foot moved back to running up Reyna's shin, but it didn't cause the pouting girl to look up. Hazel spoke, "That's so cool. How is it going?"
"It's just a dream so far," Hylla dismissed with a shrug. "We're still trying to get one more investor and then we'll have a trial run where we prove we can make money."
"What's your idea?" Lupa questioned. Everyone at the table looked at Hylla and Kinzie. Both of them exchanged glances, and Reyna slowly looked up at her sister.
"We've been tweaking with the model for a long time, but Kinzie is amazing at making coffee," Hylla began. She met Reyna's eyes and then quickly looked away. Kinzie gently grabbed Hylla's hand. Reyna looked away and zoned out as her sister explained her business plan to the others.
As Hylla spoke, she grabbed the attention of everyone in the room. Well, almost everyone. Reyna kept feeling a foot, because for some reason Thalia took her shoe off, running up and down her leg, and she had to practically bury her face into her plate to hide how bad she was blushing. This dinner was going to kill her.